Commencement Weekend 2018 Events and Ceremonies

The Commencement Weekend Invite postcard will be sent out to all graduate's mailing and permanent addresses in early February. Please feel free to share this electronic version of the postcard to any additional family and friends. Please review the Commencement Planning Brochure for important planning details and information regarding this year's Commencement Ceremonies.

Cap and Gown Pick-Up

Thursday and Friday, May 17 & 18: 10am - 5pmSunday, May 20: opening at 8am Room 115, Campus Activities Building Please note that no caps and gowns will be available for pickup at the Oncenter on Commencement Day. If you are unable to pick up your attire, a friend or family member is welcome to pick it up for you. Caps and Gowns are returned immediately following the ceremony at the Campus Activities Building.

Pre-Commencement Dessert Reception

College of Health Professions Commencement

Sunday, May 20; 9:00am Crouse Hinds Theater, John H. Mulroy Civic Center at Oncenter Doors will open at 8:30am. Students will line up at 8:30am in the Civic Center Banner Room. Reception immediately following the ceremony at the Campus Activities Building.

College of Nursing Commencement

Sunday, May 20; 11:30am Crouse Hinds Theater, John H. Mulroy Civic Center at Oncenter Doors will open at 11:00am. Students will line up at 11:00am in the Civic Center Banner Room. Reception immediately following the ceremony at the Campus Activities Building.

College of Graduate Studies Commencement

Sunday, May 20; 1:30pm Carrier Theater, John H. Mulroy Civic Center at Oncenter Doors will open at 1:15pm. Students will line up at 1:15pm in the Civic Center Banner Room. A pre-ceremony brunch for the graduates and their family members will be served at 11:00am in the 9th Floor Dining Room, Weiskotten Hall.

College of Medicine Commencement

Sunday, May 20; 3:00pm Crouse Hinds Theater, John H. Mulroy Civic Center at Oncenter Doors will open at 2:00pm. Students will line up at 2:15pm in the Civic Center Banner Room. Reception immediately following the ceremony at the Campus Activities Building.

Special Needs and Directions & Parking

The John H. Mulroy Civic Center @ Oncenter is handicap accessible. It is recommended that individuals using wheelchairs arrive early. If needed, we will be happy to make arrangements to have a sign language interpreter at the ceremonies. If you expect to have guests who are hearing impaired attend the festivities, please contact the Office of Student Support Services at (315) 464-8855 or the Office of Campus Activities at (315) 464-5618 by April 2, 2018.

Complimentary parking will also be available in the West Parking Garage on the Upstate Campus for all family members attending Commencement ceremonies and receptions.

Please note that all directions and parking information may be obtained by clicking on the facility links above.

Commencement Planning: Important Information

Commencement Tickets

Tickets are requried to attend the 2018 Commencement Ceremonies. All graduates have been allocated 10 tickets for their ceremony. All attendees (including hooders) will require a ticket. Graduates do now require a ticket. If you haven't yet picked up your tickets, they are available at the CAB Information Center, lobby level of the CAB, all hours the building is open. If you are away and unable to pick up your tickets another student may pick them up so long as he/she has an Upstate ID card and signs their name for your tickets.

Order Your Cap and Gown

The deadline to order your cap and gown has now passed. If you did not order academic attire and still wish to participate in your commencement ceremony, please stop by the Upstate Medical University Bookstore in the CAB to see if attire can still be ordered.

Original Information: Order your academic attire online at the Herff Jones Regalia Online Order website. The site will be open until Monday, April 2, 2018. Find SUNY Upstate Medical University in the school drop-down menu and click continue. If you have questions please contact the Upstate Medical University Bookstore by phone at (315) 464-5560 or by e-mail. Please note that there is no charge for student academic attire if ordered before the deadline. If attire is ordered after Monday, April 2, 2018, a late fee will be charged!

Hooding Process

Students receiving advanced degrees will be hooded at their commencement ceremony. Typically, students are hooded by their faculty advisor or the faculty marshal of their college. However, doctoral (MD, Ph.D., DPT) candidates may invite a member of their immediate family to participate in the hooding if the family member holds the same degree. Students wishing to have a family member hood them must submit the Commencement Hooding Form and be approved by the Office of Student Support Services or Office of Campus Activities. Academic attire must be worn by the participating family member and the rental fee is $87 + tax. After the form has been approved, attire must be ordered through the Upstate Bookstore, contact the bookstore by phone at (315) 464-5560 or by e-mail. Deadline is Monday, April 2, 2018. No late requests/orders will be accepted.

Announcements, Class Rings and Diploma Frames

Personalized graduation announcement products can be ordered directly from Balfour. Order by phone: 1-877-BALFOUR (255-3687) or on the Balfour website. Diploma frames & class rings are available to purchase in the Upstate Medical University Bookstore, CAB Lobby. If you have any questions about these items, please contact the staff in the bookstore.

Diplomas

The Registrar's Office orders diplomas for all graduates. Please complete the Commencement Information Form through MY UPSTATE to indicate how you want your name on your diploma and to where it should be mailed. If you have any questions, please contact the Registrar's Office at (315) 464-4604 or by e-mail.

Commencement Planning: Faculty Participation

Faculty Participation

Faculty who will be participating in commencement must be in academic attire. If a faculty member would like to participate in one or more commencement ceremonies, we ask that you fill out the Faculty Commencement Participation Form and return it to the Upstate Bookstore. Information and pricing regarding renting academic attire is also included on this form, the deadline for rental orders is April 1, 2018.